Isabelle Raquin

“Get Isabelle to defend you” is the best advice a person accused of a crime can have. Why? Because of her commitment to clients, her ambition to compete, her talent in trial, and her French accent. Isabelle was born and raised in France where she obtained her first Law Degree from the prestigious school of Sciences-Po Paris.

She clerked in Paris for a Judge with jurisdiction over complex white-collar crimes, and then interned with an eccentric group of defense lawyers and prosecutors. Because her passion has always been to represent people charged with the most serious crimes in the United States, she interned with the legal department at the French Embassy in Washington D.C., where she worked on anti-death penalty projects. Isabelle is featured on the French Embassy website. Isabelle has also been invited by French News media to comment, live, on the American Electoral and Judicial System.

Isabelle attended law school in the U.S. at Duke University, graduating in 2010. She received multiple awards for her pro bono work with the Innocence Project, the Street Law Project, the International Law Society, and the ACLU (Capital Punishment Project). Isabelle’s excellence in the essential skills of legal research and writing was recognized when she received the Bidlake Award.

In 2012, Isabelle accepted a position at the Office of the Public Defender in Rockville, Maryland. This rising star representing at trial the innocent-until-proven-otherwise quickly became a counterpoint to the customary and usual practices of the defense bar pleading out clients. In the often-brawling setting of state criminal courts, Isabelle’s guiding principle in every case was “litigate to win” for her clients. She insisted that every client’s case be prepared to go to trial.

In 2017, Isabelle started RaquinMercer LLC with Steve Mercer. Her work is focused trial work in all types of criminal cases-judge and jury-including misdemeanor traffic violations, drug cases, first and second degree assaults, thefts, resisting arrest, child abuse cases (physical and sexual), sex offenses, burglary, robbery, rape, and murder. The successful results of her trial work in both ordinary and complex cases prosecuted in the criminal courts have earned her the respect of the bench and bar, and most importantly, the profound admiration of her clients.

Isabelle also represents clients on appeal as part of her holistic approach to representation. She has successfully created new law on matters of first impression in the Court of Appeals. Isabelle is one of the editors of the Maryland Appellate Blog from the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA).

Isabelle is the current Attorney Liaison for Drug Court in Montgomery County Maryland. Her experience handling felony drug distribution and misdemeanor drug possession charges, and her knowledge of substance abuse addiction and treatment, make her an accomplished defense attorney in the context of Problem Solving Courts seeking better outcomes for her clients. Isabelle is a member of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP). Isabelle is a vice-chair and voting member of the Alcohol and Other Drug Addiction Advisory Council (AODAAC).

Isabelle became a partner at RaquinMercer because she loves to litigate for her clients. If you are looking for her, look in a courtroom, she is probably in a trial. And most often in that courtroom, you will find her in the company of defense lawyers (some of whom you may have considered retaining) and prosecutors who are eager to watch Isabelle’s cross-examination of witnesses and closing arguments to a jury.

Isabelle has been nominated by Super Lawyers for the last three years as a “Rising Star” (2018-2023). She was also featured by the Washingtonian Magazine for their selective “top lawyer” for criminal defense work. 2020-2021. Isabelle was awarded the 2022 Leaders in Law Award, Generation J.D., from the Daily Record and the MSBA. She is featured on the 2022 Daily Record’s Power Attorneys list as one of the top 25 attorneys in the State of Maryland.

Isabelle is the co-chair of the criminal law section of the Montgomery County Bar Association. She is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney Association, and the Montgomery County Bar Association. Isabelle is admitted to practice law in New York and Maryland.